Brothers of the Mountains: ARTURO and ORESTE SQUINOBAL from the ALPS to the HIMALAYAS

by Maria Teresa Cometto

It's a timely story about a certain philosophy of mountaineering: in an era when expeditions to the most famous peaks in the world have become a commercial business that often ends in tragedy for the sake of publicity and profits, Squinobals' experience helps us understand that you should know your own limits and respect the mountains if you want to enjoy them. Arturo and Oreste Squinobal are carpenters, alpine guides, mountaineers and protagonists of exceptional climbing exploits in the Alps and the Himalayas in the '70s and '80s. The highlight of the book is the story of their ascent to Kangchenjunga, the third highest mountain on Earth, 8586 meters high. Oreste made it to the top in 1982 without supplemental oxygen. While climbing Kangchenjunga the two brothers reassess their roots - the Walser culture of the Gressoney Valley in Italy where they grew up - and discover they have a lot in common with the Sherpas and the people of Nepal. When they go back home, they decide not to leverage their fame to become full time professionals in the great circus of sponsorships. They prefer to keep enjoying the mountains together with friends and family. "Climbing the Everest or hiking on an easy path, you have the same opportunity to find that 'something' that you are looking for."

211 pages, Paperback

Published June 26, 2020

About the author

Maria Teresa Cometto has been living in New York since 2000. In addition to working for almost 30 years as a journalist for the leading Italian daily "Corriere della Sera", she has written several books including "Emma and the Angel of Central Park. The Story of a New York Icon and the Woman who Created It" (2022, Neri Pozza; 2023 Bordighera Press) and "La Marchesa Colombi. Life, Novels & Passions of the First Woman Journalist of Corriere della Sera" (2020, Solferino). She is co-author of "Tech and the City. Startups in New York" (2013, Guerini; 2013, Mirandola Press) and "Kids & Money" (2001 and 2008, Sperling & Kupfer).

When first published in Italy (1985), her book "Due Montanari" about the Squinobals was awarded by Mario Rigoni Stern with the "Silver Thistle" at the Itas Prize for Mountain Literature. Her book about Marchesa Colombi was a finalist of the 2021 Robinson Literary Tournament in Italy.

She graduated cum Laude from Milan's Università Statale with a degree in Philosophy.

On June 2, 2017 she was awarded the title "Cavaliere (Knight) dell'Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana". Born in Novara, Italy, Maria Teresa became an American citizen in 2018.